


Be There

by shewasjustagirl



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, Tropetastic Tuesday, kinda rhink, rhink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-13
Updated: 2017-04-13
Packaged: 2018-10-18 07:39:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10612302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shewasjustagirl/pseuds/shewasjustagirl
Summary: A real estate agent shows Link a house for his family, and Rhett tags along.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Tropetastic Tuesday #6: Pretending to be a couple/fake married.

"Come on in, Mr. Neal, and I'll show you around!" The real estate agent showed Link into the house as Rhett followed behind him. "Goodness, you're tall," she said, reaching out to take his hand. "And you are?" 

He extended his arm for a handshake. "Oh, sorry. I'm Rhett." 

That had been his mistake, he'd decided later. He had said only his first name. The real estate agent, a stately mid-50s woman in an attractively tailored dark blue suit and silk purple blouse was smiling up at him, looking between the two men. She knew that Link was looking for a home for his family, and she knew he had three young children, but apparently that was the extent of her knowledge about the Neals. 

"Well you two certainly are a good-looking couple, Mr. Neal," she smiled warmly, directing her compliment at both of them. "This place has nice high ceilings," she winked at Rhett, "and this would be a great neighborhood for your children."

Before they had a chance to correct her, she continued, walking a little further into the house. "I know you're only planning to rent for now, and you may want to move again in a few years, but just look at what you could have in the meantime! It's a great little starter home, don't you think? There are rooms upstairs for the kids and a master down here."

She was clearly a saleswoman, and Rhett found himself smiling back at her, despite her mistake, and looking around the living room where they stood. Link smiled broadly, thanking her for her hospitality, and asked if she could show them the kitchen. "We'd like to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, if it's a nice one," he added, grinning up at Rhett as he slotted his fingers through the taller man's. 

Rhett's face went red and he swallowed hard as Link gripped his hand, giving it a quick squeeze as they were led into the kitchen behind the soft click of short heels. 

"Oh this is a great kitchen, don't you think, honey?" As he did with any audience, even this audience of one, Link was hamming it up. This wasn't the first time Rhett had been dragged, a reluctant improv partner, into something Link thought was funny.

So, as he almost always did, Rhett chose to play along, smiling back down at his friend and clutching his hand a little tighter, signaling he would follow Link's lead. "It's beautiful, baby," he breathed.

The woman beamed at them and rattled off memorized details of the kitchen's specifications, eventually continuing through to the dining room and master bedroom.

"We have a huge bed," Link told her, nudging Rhett with his elbow, "but it looks like this room would work okay."

The real estate agent gave Link a knowing smile and chuckled, turning back to look at the room and noting that it currently housed a king bed. "Even if yours is longer it should fit just fine," she added. 

They looked around the sizable en-suite bathroom, hands still intertwined, and Rhett caught a glimpse of them in the mirror. An image of himself and Link was conjured in his mind. He could imagine the two of them standing at the twin sinks and smiling and laughing as they caught each other's eyes in their reflection. Easy. Loving. Living here together.

The woman was going on about the updated tile and separate shower, but Rhett was caught up in this daydream. In another life.

"Hey. Rhett. Rhett?" Link had released his hand and was shaking his elbow. "You ready to move to the next room?"

Rhett shook the fog from his head and picked up his act again, smiling at Link and then directing his attention to the real estate agent. "I just got distracted, I guess," he told her, and began gushing about the craftsmanship that had gone into the newer aspects of the house. "This remodel was clearly done well."

Link rolled his eyes at her, pinching Rhett's waist affectionately before his hand was covered again by the bigger man's. "Okay, let's move on," he said with a put-on air of exasperation.

At the base of the home's stairs, the woman stopped, her heels clicking together as she motioned for them to walk ahead of her.

"I'll let you two have a little look around upstairs without me. It's just bedrooms and a couple small bathrooms - hopefully you'll be able to picture how your children would fit in up there. You yell for me if you need anything at all, okay? I'll be down here, don't you mind me." 

Link thanked her and walked ahead up the stairs, neither of them separating their laced fingers. _I don't hold my wife's hand this much_ , Rhett thought. They had really been laying it on thick.

As they walked in the first small, sparsely furnished room, Rhett shook Link's hand away. "Dude, we could have corrected her at least fifteen times."

Link gave him a lopsided grin. "It was kinda fun though."

"I don't know man, that was a little ridiculous."

Link opened his mouth to make another joke, but Rhett was frowning now. The brunet looked at the floor, digging his toe into the carpet, but didn't say anything, didn't fight back. Particularly not after the performance he had just made them put on, Rhett assumed. 

Rhett stood for a moment staring at Link, hoping he would apologize for forcing him to go along with this act, but they both remained quiet. As much as he wanted to be angry, though, Rhett knew he could have corrected the real estate agent as easily as Link could have. 

"Come on," he nudged Link, "she's going to be able to tell if we're not walking around."

They entered the second small room, a little bigger one this time, with a full bed and an attached bathroom. Link said, loudly enough, he hoped, that the woman downstairs would hear, "Oh, this would be perfect for a girl!"

Then he whispered, just for Rhett, "I'm sorry. At first I just thought it would be funny."

"It's okay," Rhett replied. He hadn't wanted to stay angry, and Link's apology was enough. At least he knew he'd made Rhett uncomfortable. That maybe this had crossed a line.

"I just didn't think... You know what, never mind," Link stopped himself. "Let's stomp around a little and get the heck out of here. After all this I can't rent from her anyway."

Rhett chuckled. Link was right -- though he was married to a tall blonde, after today the real estate agent and the owners of this house would be a little shocked to see her.

They peeked their heads into one more bedroom and two small bathrooms, making general observations about the place and, knowing Link wouldn't be renting it, throwing in a few criticisms for good measure. "I don't know about carpet in a kid's room," Link complained, and Rhett added "I'm not sure this layout would work, either, baby," adding the pet name once more for the benefit of the real estate agent as they came back down the stairs. 

Link thanked her for her time and told her they would get back to her. They had seen some other houses, and they would need some time to make up their minds, he said. 

They both shook her hand once more before walking out to Rhett's SUV and driving away. They had plans to stop in at an open house before their house hunting was done for the day, and Link stopped Rhett, grabbing his arm as he reached to open the driver's side door at their destination. 

"I'm not going to do that again in here, Rhett. I'm sorry I let it get out of hand."

"Alright brother, I appreciate it. That was just a little much, you know?

They both stared out the window, silence taking over the vehicle as it had on the drive between houses.

"What were you going to say earlier, Link? Before you said never mind?"

"Oh, well," a flush rose in Link's cheeks. He clearly remembered what Rhett meant, and Rhett needed to hear it. He was willing to sit there all day if necessary. Link cleared his throat and took a deep breath. "Well, I just didn't think it would feel so...natural, you know? Pretending like that? We're not really as good at improv as we should be, and...that was easy."

Rhett nodded, looking down at his hands. It had been easy, and he was a little uncomfortable with how quickly his imagination had filled in the images of them enjoying the house together.

Link continued now, taking Rhett's hand into his own and rubbing circles onto it with his thumb. "I don't regret anything, y'know?"

"I know."

"I love my family so much."

"Of course. I do too."

"But sometimes I wonder."

"I know."

"If this had even seemed possible..."

"I know."

"She just assumed we were together!"

"I know," Rhett answered again, the repetition in his answers finally pulling Link's attention away from his thoughts. 

When Link looked up, Rhett was already staring at him with glistening eyes. He wouldn't cry, he told himself. Most days he was the happiest man alive. He loved his wife and children, and he was living his dream with his best friend. But this afternoon, the glimpse into a very different life, a different relationship with Link, had nearly been too much to take.

He searched the bright blue eyes, focusing only on them and on the feeling of the thumb on the back of his hand, before giving Link's hand a soft squeeze and wiping at his eyes.

"Just tell me you're always going to be here, man," he finally said.

"Of course I will, bo," Link breathed, pulling their entwined hands to his chest before reaching for his door and releasing Rhett's hand. 

Rhett tugged his own door open, taking a deep breath. "Alright, then. Let's go."

**Author's Note:**

> Any kudos and comments are always much appreciated! Talk to me!
> 
> And come find me on [Tumblr](http://clemwasjustagirl.tumblr.com/) if you're into that kind of thing.


End file.
